Eugene Laverty already knows how he’ll conquer Mugello

Eugene Laverty is going to get a significant boost on the speed-dependent Mugello track, thanks to his brand spanking new Ducati engine.

Source: Rainer Herhaus/Shutterstock

Laverty was plagued by issues throughout 2015, thanks to the fact that his Open Honda was woefully lacking in power. This deficiency became especially evident on tracks like Mugello, where speed is the ultimate determining factor. Luckily, he’s upped his arsenal with a roaring Ducati GP14.2 and the difference it’s made has been astonishing. He’s scored points on each of 2015’s first five rounds and is all set to subjugate at Mugello, which also just happens to be Ducati’s home track.

“We’ve had five good races with points-scoring finishes so the good thing is to continue that run at Mugello. Having the Ducati horsepower this year will be a big help at Mugello; the engine is so important around here. The focus is on the points, which starts with qualifying better on Saturday, to try and make my job easier on Sunday and try to get the top ten in the race. Mugello is a natural circuit like Phillip Island, rather than a computer animated circuit. It is up and down with fast changes in direction and different cambers; it’s really fun to ride. The Italian fans at Mugello are always pretty special and this will be my first time riding in Italy on a Ducati so I am sure we will have plenty of support.”

Eugene Laverty

We don’t have to just take his word for it either. Ducati has historically performed very well indeed at Mugello, with its powerful engines making for smooth speeding down its 1.141 km long straight. If Laverty arrived in Mugello with 2 points in 2015 and is now arriving with 33, we’re almost afraid of what he could accomplish with his dangerous new weapon.